Understanding patient and physician responses to various cost-sharing programs for prescription drugs in South Korea: A multilevel analysisopen access
- Authors
- Son, Kyung-Bok; Lee, Eui-Kyung; Lee, Sang-Won
- Issue Date
- Aug-2022
- Publisher
- Frontiers Media S.A.
- Keywords
- cost-sharing schemes; prescription drugs; patient response; physician response; South Korea
- Citation
- Frontiers in Public Health, v.10, pp 1 - 11
- Pages
- 11
- Indexed
- SCIE
SSCI
SCOPUS
- Journal Title
- Frontiers in Public Health
- Volume
- 10
- Start Page
- 1
- End Page
- 11
- URI
- https://scholarworks.bwise.kr/erica/handle/2021.sw.erica/112687
- DOI
- 10.3389/fpubh.2022.924992
- ISSN
- 2296-2565
- Abstract
- IntroductionPatient and/or physician responses are a pivotal issue in designing rational cost-sharing programs under health insurance systems. ObjectivesThis study aims to understand patient and/or physician responses to cost-sharing programs designed for prescription drugs in South Korea. MethodsAs a framework, we took advantage of a tiered cost-sharing program, including from copayment to coinsurance (threshold 1) and reduced coinsurance (threshold 2). Given the hierarchical structure of prescriptions nested within patients, we utilized a multilevel analysis to assess effects of various cost-sharing programs on patient and/or physician responses using National Health Insurance claims data from 2018. ResultsWe found that a tiered cost-sharing program was effective in changing the behaviors of patients and/or physicians. Threshold 1 was found to be more effective than threshold 2 in changing their behaviors. At the prescription level, sensitivity to cost-sharing programs was associated with prescribed days of treatment and locations of prescription. In a similar vein, sensitivity to cost-sharing programs was associated with gender and age group of patients. ConclusionA simplified cost-sharing program with extended intervals should be considered to rationalize cost-sharing programs. Specifically, a cost-sharing program designed for long-term prescriptions for chronic diseases together with an emphasis on cost transparency is required to better guide price-conscious decisions by patients and/or physicians.
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